St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-05-30
mer of 1877; time and time again did

with society tending as it then was.
Well do | remember the words uttered
by my friend CurtiSS then, just as about
half a dozen of us were separating to
attend meeting that had been called
on Haymarket square July, 1877, by
some one, no one ever knew who, and
for which the city had just semitic st.
Paul for 250 stand of arms: Each one
of us must be governed by opportunity;
separate and mingie with the crowd,
but act III concert; we can prevent a
riot on either side, and we must;
go now" And from that action
sprang up the "Workingmen's union,"
and a riot stopped before it began.
Hundreds of you remember its sudden
rise and as sudden sinking out of sight,
like a monster meteor. 1T scared the
life out of the politicians, and caused
them to fall on their knees i'll dire dis
treSS: but when seeing it but flash, then
they sinned worse than before. But
this movement also struggled for hall
and library for the use of laboring men,
and did good work in showing these
men what they could do. Out of this
Sprang the Knights of Labor in this city
and state, and since the day they got
foothOld in our midst there has been no
step backward, but has gone forward,
little by little, until to-day we are the
envy of every city in the land; we have
disputes, but rarely do they result in
strikes, for the people are all anxious
and willing to help instead of pull
down. And so to-day is found the buSi-
ness man and the mason, the railroad
contractor and the brakeman, the mill
owner and the roustabOut vieing with
each other in rendering this auSpiciOuS
event Il memorable one. With the
x.rtl, nf ha
trades unions. until to-day the arteries
of trade and commerce are honey
combed and the labor movement is fast
becoming the question of questions.
TO the casual onlOoker of to-day it
does not need a second thought to tell
him that all these people who were seen
working to-day should have hall of
their own. And these organizations,
realizing this, set out committees year
and half ago to commence the work,
but their efforts failing, few men got
together, drew up the articles of incOr-
poration and went ahead. 1t was the
step necessary. Others came quickly to
their aid, and from that time the work
circulars sent out by the association the
building is thus described.
And to-day we lay the corner stone!
Little did | dream, when starting on
this movement fifteen years ago, that |
should be given the proud distinction.
the high honor which has been shown me
this day. May it stand until the drone
i'll society has been driven out and the
worker reimbursed for his struggle
and suffering for years. To the many
kind friends who have aided the move
ment thus far | wish to return the sin
cere thanks of the entire management
and to add that these generous public
citizens that have seen fit to help the
enterprise, that we shall remember their
kind deeds and generosity. TO those of
our business men who have not vet been
solicited for aid, | will simply say that
an opportunity will be given. The
building must be completed sufficiently
to accommodate the coming convention
OF the Knights of Labor in October next,
and for this we ask our business men to
assist us for the time being. There are
10000 shares i'll the association, and
many man can afford to take but one.
At 81 or Sl.50 day it is only by the
greatest frugality that they can.
To the StOnecutterS' association de-
sire to return the thanks of the associa-
ton for the splendid block which they
have seen fit to make and present for
the corner stone. 1t has been said by
some writer that in the Mississippi val
ley have dwelt race of people who have
left traces of a civilization far beyOnd
the present, and William H. Seward
once gave utterance to the prophecy
that our sister city of st. Paul should
one day be the center of mighty en-
pire of freemen. What better omen
for that future than this work
to-day? How better can we gather
up the threads of that last
aix tlon tl,,
Then speed forward temple that the
people may reap thy benefit, and be-
ware, oh politician, of thy arts and
WlleS when labor has reached the limit
OF its understanding, and men are able
to protect themselves without appealing
to their fellow sympathy.
To you, Brother McGaughey, and to
you, Brother Brosnan, and to YOU,
Brother WOolsey, is left the task of per-
petuating in the minds and hearts the
soul of the assembled multitude the
memory OF this occasion.
LAYING THE CORNER STONE.
After music by the Coopers' band
came the ceremony of laying the corner
stone, an immense block of Ohio blue
stone, polished and carved, which was
presented by the Stone Cutters union.
of Minneapolis. The officers participant
ing in the ceremony, which was brief
and very simple, were: J. z. Nc
Gaughey. representing the General as
sembly: L. w. BrOsman, of the District
assembly; J. U. WooIsey, V. S., Emil
GustafSOn and George w. Parish, of the
Local assembly: John Mccarthy, Hugh
erS, from the Stone Cutters union: H.
Carroll, NJ. Davill and E. Gustafson.
from the Stone MasOns' union.
The little copper box which was
placed in the cavity before the stone
was lowered contained documents fur
niShed by Mayor AmeS, Architect w.
ii. Grimshaw, the Saltwater Co-opera-
tive society, Saltwater Union No. 1865.
East Minneapolis Labor club. Machinist
Union No. 50, l.. A. No. 1898, Journey
men Stonecutters' Journal, articles of
the corporation of the cooperative
coopers: Crusaders I: A. society, Car
penters' Mutual Aid society, Car
penter and Joiners' Brotherhood,
Sumner Aid society, Railway En-,
ployes' Benefit association, Machinists'
protective, Painters and Decorators as
sociation, Northern Light assembly.
St0nemaSOnS International union. K. of
l.. Building association, Aurora assem-
bly, of Faribault, Millard Il Thyles' or
chestra, the Kirmers, Street Car EN-
plOyeS' association, Cigarmakers' union.
Scandinavian Laborers' society, Dirige
Benefit association, chamber of COM
merce, Minneapolis; real estate ex-
change, Bricklayers'. MaSons' and Cigar
makers unions, Railway EMPLOYEES
Benefit assembly, Uriah Stevens assem-
bly, of st. Paul; Ladies' Protective So
ciety, the Minnehaha Mutual Benefit as
sociation, Ladies' Protective associa-
ton.
THE SINGING OF THE DEDIcAToRy
HYMN,
composed for the occasion by Mons.
Baker, followed: